The Bears today announced their "first-ever naming rights deal with PNC Bank involving Halas Hall and Soldier Field suites," according to Becky Yerak of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. As part of the deal, PNC "also will become the Bears' official and exclusive bank, succeeding Chase." Sources said that PNC will pay $25-35M for five to 10 years. Bears President & CEO Ted Phillips declined to say "whether PNC was the highest bidder for the new sponsorship." Yerak reports the deal, which begins with the upcoming NFL season, "includes naming rights to team properties such as PNC Center at Halas Hall, a 2013 addition at the team headquarters complex in Lake Forest with a broadcast studio and an events center, and the PNC Suites at Soldier Field, a multilevel area at Soldier Field that encompasses more than 130 units." PNC "also will have ATMs at Halas Hall and in Soldier Field." PNC President/Illinois Scott Swanson said that the bank "will have double the number of ATMs that Chase had in the stadium." He added that the bank is "developing an affinity card that will be co-branded with the Bears and offered to the bank's retail customers" next year. Phillips said that PNC "also will be the first headline sponsor of Spanish language radio game broadcasts" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/21).
